Russia has consolidated its position as a “state-civilization” in the concept of foreign policy

Friends of Russia

Among the associations with which Russia intends to strengthen cooperation are the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), RIC (Russia, India and China), BRICS (RIC members, as well as Brazil and South Africa), the Greater Eurasian Partnership (BEP), the EAEU and partly coinciding with it in terms of participants, the defensive bloc of the CSTO. Russia’s goals are called “providing support to allies and partners in promoting common interests,” as well as ensuring their security, regardless of “membership in international organizations.” These include, in particular, South Ossetia and Abkhazia recognized by Russia. Political scientist Alexander Nemtsev explained to Vedomosti that in this way the “secondary” opinion of other countries regarding Russia’s relations with unrecognized UN allies is documented. On the whole, this is not new to international practice, such as Turkey’s relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which it recognizes, or with Kosovo, a number of Western countries.